Economy

12:05 pm

Tue November 15, 2011

Occupy Providence will move for park maintenance

Occupy Providence plans to move out of the park, but only for a short time.

Photo by Bradley Campbell.

By BRADLEY CAMPBELL

Listen

Listening...

/

PROVIDENCE, RI – Occupy Providence Protesters say they plan to temporarily move their tents to allow maintenance work at Burnside Park. The agreement between protesters and the city is in stark contrast to some other Occupy movements, now facing removal by force.

While police in riot gear are clearing out Occupy Wall Street Protesters in New York's Zuccotti Park, the mood at Occupy Providence has been one of relative peace. The city expressed a need to prepare the sprinkler system in Burnside Park for winter and Occupy Providence protesters say they will cooperate with the request.

A spokesman for the movement says tents and other belongings will be moved off the grass to accommodate the winterization project. But he adds the encampment will return as soon as the city finishes the work. Occupy Providence protesters say their dialogue with the city has been positive. The city is currently in talks with an attorney representing the activists, and Public Safety Commissioner Steven Pare has also described the discussions as, "constructive."

Protesters say the temporary move could happen this week. Occupy Providence has been camping in Burnside Park since mid-October.

Do you have insight or expertise on this topic? Please email us, we'd like to hear from you. news@wrni.org.